Method of making a bobbin barrel

ABSTRACT

A flanged bobbin in which the barrel has a cylindrical exterior concentric with the rotational axis of the barrel and a flange concentrically mounted on the end of the bobbin to which flange is secured concentrically a unitary drive lug engaging flange having a symmetrical butterfly recess and a method of constructing a bobbin barrel with minimum eccentricity and vibration for operation at high rotational speeds.

United States Patent Hawley July 4, 1972 [54] I METHOD OF MAKING A BOBBIN [56] References Cited BARREL UNITED STATES PATENTS 72 1V t: hB.lll 4101 A.l-l'h l 1 1%,; 63 32 7 280,755 7/1883 Murray ..144/14.

643,960 2/1900 Grimond et a1. .,.144/14 ux [22] Filed: March 20, 1969 I I 2 1 Appl NOJ 14 1 Primary ExaminerGe0rge F. Mautz' Attorney-David Rabin Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 584,046, Sept. 19, 1966, aban- [57] ABSTRACT doned. A flanged bobbin in which the barrel has a cylindrical exterior I a concentric with the rotational axis of the barrel and a-flange [52] U.S.Cl. ..l44/326 R, 144/14, 144/325, concentrically mounted on the end of the bobbin to which 4 2 '2 flange is secured concentrically a unitary drive lug engaging [51 Ill. Cl ..B27C 9/00, B6511 75/14, B6511 75/30 flangc having a symmetrical butterfly recess and a method Of 1 1 Field Search 93 93 X 309, constructing a bobbin barrel with minimum eccentricity and vibration for operation at high rotational speeds.

2 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL 41972 3.674.069

SHEET 10? 2 INVENTOR. JOHN B. HAWLEY P'A'TE'N'TEDJUL '4 1912 I 3, 674.069 sum 2 or 2 nnn- I HIIIIIIIEIH I" "HI! INVENTOR. JOHN B. HAWLEY METHOD OF MAKING A BOBBIN BARREL This application is a division of application Ser. No. 584,046, filed Sept. 19, 1966, now abandoned.

This invention relates to improvements in textile spools or bobbins, and more particular to such spools or bobbins as are mounted on and driven by vertical spindles.

The invention is concerned primarily with the rotation and drive engagement of bobbins or spools, the general objects being to provide accurate centering, to eliminate looseness of parts and to eliminate vibration and wear. The subject matter of the invention concerns textile spools or bobbins which are adapted to sit in vertical position on a spindle and be driven thereby for winding textiles and other fibers. Such spools or bobbins will also be hereinafter referred to for brevity as a pim, meaning thereby any spool designated and adapted for fitting vertically on a spindle and being driven by a whorl or lug at its lower end. An additional specific concern of this invention is an improved construction in a drive lug engaging article to be used in conjunction with a pim or bobbin having novel arrangements for seating, centering and driving the same.

In conventional pim or bobbin construction, the bobbin has one or more internal bearings which receive or fit around the spindle and suitable recesses cooperating with drive lugs or other elements in the base of the spindle to form a driving engagement. The inherent manufacturing tolerances and difficulty experienced in drilling a straight axial channel limit the accuracy of fit resulting in a certain amount of eccentricity and vibration which may be very objectionable at high speeds. Additionally, the relative movement between parts also results in wear which may further aggravate these difficulties. A variety of attempts to improve bobbin construction in these indicated areas have been made, and with some success. Centrifugally gripping elements have been employed which have provided a considerable reduction in wear and looseness, but there has been no essential improvement in concentricity.

ln patents such as US. Pat. No. 2,359,604, granted Oct; 3, 1944 for a textile spool, there is disclosed an improved bobbin driving construction utilizing a drive slot to cooperatively receive and engage a spindle drive lug, this particular construction proving to be a decided improvement in rotating pims for twisting and spinning operations since this particular construction feature results in a considerable reduction in wear of the bobbin. It has been found, however, that when a pirn employing such a drive slot is placed on a spindle while the spindle is rotating, the drive lug is not immediately seated within the drive slot as the pirn has a tendency to bounce thus causing a delay in lug engagement and considerable wear along the edges of the slot. According to the present invention, this slot is noticeably flared to a butterfly shape so that it will more easily and readily accommodate the rotating drive lug of the spindle thus eliminating the bouncing and providing faster starts, instant drive engagement, an increase in bobbin base life and a decided savings in repair cost and labor.

An equally important factor to consider in bobbin construction is the wear and shortened life caused by vibration due to the eccentricity of the bobbin barrel as it is positioned on the rotating spindle since the spindle shaft or finger normally does not extend completely through the bobbin barrel but is merely retained longitudinally through only a portion of the barrel. lnaccuracy in establishing a longitudinal channel through the barrel member is caused by the difficulty in drilling this passage along an absolutely straight line. According to the present invention, a hole is drilled in a rough block of wood which block is then, in turn, mounted on lathe centers which are approximately the same diameter as the drilled hole. The block of wood which will eventually constitute the bobbin barrel is then rotated by the lathe, this rotation actually being concentric about a line drawn through the centers of the lathe centers and resulting in the formation of a roughly finished circular pim barrel member having a channel extending longitudinally therethrough. It is important to note that it is virtually impossible to drill a straight channel for the length of the pim barrel so that the center of the drilled aperture taken at a point mid-way between the ends of the pim barrel does not necessarily lie on a line drawn through the centers of the openings at the ends of the spool barrel. This is of significance since a 14- inch spool would possibly be mounted on an 8-inch spindle finger and the curved channel of the barrel would then cause the top of the spool, which may be 5 or 6 inches above the top of the spindle finger, to vibrate'severely depending upon the degree of curvature of the channel. The roughed bobbin barrel is then positioned on a simulated spindle finger and is grooved by appropriate means along its top end to produce a concentriccircle about the rotational axis of the spindle finger so that the barrel may then be held by a chuck or other lathe holding means within that etched recess and smoothly finished along its exterior surface in a turning operation which will produce a final bobbin barrel that has no appreciable runout.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a mechanical process for producing a circular groove/or counterbore at the top of a spool barrel that will be concentric about the actual rotational axis of the spindle finger on which the completed bobbin is to be mounted but which may or may not be concentric with the channel opening at the top of the bobbin.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved pirn or bobbin having novel arrangements for seating, centering and driving the same.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved combination of a bobbin and spindle, adapted to work together during the winding operation to facilitate removal and replacement of the bobbin from and onto the spindle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved drive lug receiving article for use in conjunction with the base portion of a pim or bobbin.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a butterfly slot with full drive lug face contact which allows instant drive engagement, eliminates bouncing, increases bobbin and spindle life and saves repair costs and labor.

Yet still another object of the invention is to provide a spindle engaging flange for attachment to the base portion of a bobbin or pirn that will give faster starts because of equal force distribution thus eliminating former difficulties in seat ing the pim on the spindle and reducing excessive bobbin and spindle wear caused by this seating difiiculty.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of constructing a bobbin barrel so as to reduce to a minimum the eccentricity and vibration which is very objectionable at high rotational speeds and the relative movement between parts which also results in excessive wear tending to further aggravate other difliculties.

Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a method for constructing barrel members for bobbins that are concentrically constructed about their rotational axes so as to avoid undesirable run-out" and avoid inconsistent and hence low quality winding.

Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a method for establishing a circular groove or counter bore in the top flange of the bobbin in which to insert a handling knob in such a manner that the handling knob will be concentric about the actual rotating axis of the bobbin so as not to detract from rotational stability.

With the foregoing objects and others which will appear in the following full description in mind, the invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts and details of construction which will now first be fully described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bobbin or pirn showing the barrel and adjoining base member and the butterfly slotted lug engaging flange secured to the lower spindle-contacting portion of the base member;

FIG. 2 is a slightly enlarged plan view of the slotted lug-engaging flange disclosing the exact position of apertures for accommodating the screws or studs to affix the flange to the lower portion of the-base member;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a spindle illustrating the upstanding finger or bobbin engaging member and the whorl and lug assembly appended to the lower portion of that member for engaging and driving a bobbin disposed thereon;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational sectional view of a pim barrel member positioned on a centering device which grooves-the top end of the member with a circular recess concentric about the rotating axis.

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of a barrel member of a bobbin such as that produced by the device shown in FIG. 4 illustrating the concentrically etched groove maintained about the rotational axis of the member;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational fragmentary view illustrating the concentric groove in the top flange of a bobbin positioned by the centering process disclosed which acts as a seat for a handling knob.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the embodiment of a pim shown in FIG. 6 showing the securement of the pirn upper flange to the barrel member;

FIG. 8 is a lower plan view of the embodiment of a pim or bobbin such as that disclosed in FIG. 6 illustrating the butterfly slotted flange attached to the lower flange of the bobbin base member;

FIG. 9 is another embodiment of a bobbin or pim utilizing the novel spindle engaging flange secured to the lower portion of the bobbin base member;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the alternative embodiment of a pirn such as that disclosed in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 1 l is a lower plan view of the modified embodiment of a pirn such as that disclosed in FIG. 9 illustrating the use of the novel butterfly slotted flange along the spindle engaging portion of the base member.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a pim generally designated 10 is shown to comprise a tubular, substantially cylindrical barrel member 12 of any convenient length having, in the preferred embodiment, a flared substantially flat circular end 14 serving as a retaining and guide means for the yarn or fabric that is to be wound. An annular base member 16 joins the other end of barrel 12 and represents the foundation or base for the pim l0 and for the resulting yarn package formed when a yarn or fabric (not shown) is wound thereabout. Barrel 12 has a longitudinal channel 18 which is drilled by conventional means, this particular operation to be the subject matter of an equally impor tant concept of the present invention scheduled for subsequent detailed discussion. Pims or bobbins 10 are conventionally constructed of a variety of materials and there is no intent in this instance to be limited to the use of any particular material, the use of wood, plastic or other suitable compositions being equally contemplated under the present concept.

A flange or plate generally designated 20 which is substantially circular in shape and of uniform thickness in cross section is releasably secured to base member 16 by any suitable means such as the screws 22 and rivets or studs 23 shown in FIG. 1, the screws 22 being of sufficient length to retain base member 16 securely against barrel l2. Flange 20 has a butterfly shaped slot extending through its entire thickness 1 that specifically defines a pair of opposed and substantially equal circular sectors 30 and 32, these sectors having a radius r which is substantially less than the radius R of circular flange 20. Flange 20 and its butterfly recess 26 serve to cooperatively receive the bobbin driving lug assembly 34 which operation is to be described subsequently in much greater detail.

In FIG. 3 there is illustrated a spindle generally designated 36 which functions as a driving and retaining mechanism for a pim or bobbin 10 as it is revolvably held in a position to wind a quantity of yarn or fabric therearound as the spindle rotates at high speeds. The spindle 36 comprises a smoothly rounded and machined upstanding finger or bobbin support shaft 38 adapted to be slidably disposed within bore 18 of barrel 12 of a mounted bobbin 10, this operation being easily accomplished due to the clearance available between the surface of shaft 38 and the internal wall 40 of bore 18. Additionally, spindle 36 has a base or whorl 42 which serves as a pedestal to support the remainder of the spindle apparatus and is appropriately connected to a rotating driving means (not shown) that will cause the entire spindle assembly 36 to rotate at a predetermined speed. A driving lug assembly 46 which actually includes two individual wing lugs 44 and 46 is secured to whorl 42 and is positioned contiguous to shaft 38 to create a driving ridge or engaging edge 48 as spindle 36 is rotated at a selected speed.

As barrel 12 of bobbin 10 is slidably disposed on spindle 36 by positioning the bobbin so that shaft 38 of spindle 36 extends into bore 18, the individual wing lugs 44 and 46 of lug assembly 34 are very readily received within butterfly recess 26 of plate 20 thus providing an immediate start with no backlash or dancing or bouncing" which normally occurs when a much narrower slot within plate 20 is used. The force exerted by lug assembly 34 as it rotates with spindle 36 is normally concentrated at the remote plate-engaging edges 50 of the individual wing lugs 44 and 46 thus creating excessive wear on the plate 20 at those two particular locations. It is apparent from the position of lug assembly 46 as shown in FIG. 2 that the lug engaging edges 52 of butterfly slot 26 receive an equal distribution of force therealong (see arrows) and avoid those heretofore experienced undesirable features and thus increase bobbin and spindle life in addition to saving repair costs and labor. Since the butterfly slot 26 provides a much larger and more accessible opening than heretofore used, the drive engagement of spindle 36 with bobbin 10 is immediate upon the bobbin being placed onto shaft 38 of spindle 36 and against base 42. The overall efi'ect is to provide the benefit of a faster start without wasteful and time-consuming backlash, to eliminate the dancing of the bobbin or pirn 10 upon the spindle 36 as the lug assembly 34 attempts to become seated within slot 26 and to provide overall efficiency of operation without necessary expenditures in repair costs and labor.

The plate 20 such as that described above is easily adaptable to be used with any number of pirns such as designated 54 and 56 and shown in FIGS. 6 and 9. It has been found advantageous in some cases to provide a gripping member or handle 58 to the top flange 60 of the bobbin 54 to make the bobbin engaging and disengaging operation with the spindle easier for an operator responsible for overseeing winding operation. Such a handle 58 would have an opening or channel 61 therein to coincide with the bore 62 extending through the barrel member 64 and can be positioned concentrically about the rotational axis of the pim by the method hereafter described. Additionally, securing means such as screws 66 are used to attach handle 58 and upper end 68 to the top portion of barrel 64.

An equally important part of the present concept for improving the fabrication of textile bobbins is the development of a novel method or process for constructing a bobbin barrel member such as shown in FIG. 4 and generally designated 70 to avoid axial run-out caused by the eccentricity resulting when a bobbin of extended length is rotated in unison with a spindle assembly, the support shaft of which does not extend for the entire longitudinal distance of the barrel channel 71 within barrel member 70.

A difficulty in providing a longitudinal channel 72 throughout the entire length L of a substantially round barrel member 70 arises because drilling an absolutely straight channel through a section of wood is virtually impossible as there is an inherent curvature in the provision of the channel because of the very nature of the process unless extremely expensive precision equipment is used.

The operation commences by drilling a longitudinal channel 71 through a rough block of wood (not shown) and then mounting the block of wood at each end on lathe centers which are approximately the same diameter as the drilled aperture. The wood block is then turned on the lathe to form roughly a spool barrel concentric about a straight line extending through the mid-point of the lathe centers. The barrel member is then removed and its ends are faced ofl perpendicular to the line extending through the holes established at each end of the barrel. Thus a round block of wood having a channel longitudinally extending therethrough is formed that has openings centrally located in each end. The impossibility of providing an absolutely straight channel makes it readily apparent that the center of the channel taken at a point midway between the ends of the barrel member does not necessarily lie on a line drawn through the centers of the openings at opposite ends of the barrel.

Once the longitudinal channel 71 has been drilled and the barrel surface roughly turned a suitable liner 69 is inserted throughout the channel length. Barrel member 70 is then engaged by an extending shaft 72 which comprises a portion of a centering device (not entirely shown) which is positioned within the drilled channel 71. The straight shaft 72 does not frictionally bind within the curved channel liner 69 because a number of bushings 74 and 76 have been previously positioned within the channel contiguous liner 69 at preselected locations. Shaft 72 is hardened and ground and finally simulates accurately an engaging spindle finger insofar as diametric size is concerned. The extension of the shaft within channel 71 simulates the placement of barrel member 70 over a spindle finger, and obviously the top portion 78 of the barrel member will wobble or be eccentric about the true rotational axis of shaft 72 which is retained by bushings 74 and 76.

A highspeed router bit 80 is then positioned at an angle in such a manner as to provide a V groove in the top portion of the spool barrel when the barrel is freely turned on the static shaft 72 by an operator. A stop 82 provides a sensing device for insuring that a groove of predetermined depth is established in the top portion of barrel member 70. The recommended configuration of the groove is that of a V as it will readily accommodate varying sizes of lathe chucks, though obviously other configurations are applicable and usable in this process. Once the concentric groove is routed about the true rotational axis of the spindle finger, the barrel member 70 is then placed in a conventional lathe (not shown), one chuck (not shown) of that lathe engaging the lower portion of the barrel within channel 71 and the other particularly designed chuck engaging the routed V-shaped groove 84 in the top portion 78 of barrel member 70. The barrel is then turned and smoothly finished by a conventional lathe cutting tool to shape the exterior of the barrel 70 concentrically about the true rotational axis of the spindle finger. The result is that a bobbin or pim constructed by using one of these particularly processed barrel members has a true rotational spindle axis in accordance with the exterior design of the barrel and will not vibrate or run-out as the bobbin is rotated with the spindle at high speeds because there is no eccentricity result from unbalanced weight distribution about the rotational axis. Since run-out" causes excessive vibration and wear, the above 1 described process adds to the long lift of bobbins or pirns by decreasing excessive bobbin or spindle wear caused by this unnecessary vibration. The vibration normally incurred as a result of this high speed rotation of spindle and bobbin adds greatly to the destruction of other parts of the bobbin or pirn since the ends will become loosened and the yarn or fabric being wound will be of poor quality because of the inconsistency of the rotating force exerted thereon.

This process of barrel construction ofl'ers the decided advantage of allowing the production of a bobbin or pirn of desirable length even though that length may greatly exceed the length of the spindle finger 38 that may be used with conventional spindle assemblies 36 without any danger of bobbin destruction, noise or excessive wear because of the uneven distribution of weight and forces created from rotation of the bobbin about an untrue barrel axis.

Thus there has been described a novel article for use with a bobbin carried by a spindle assembly which will instantaneously engage the driving lugs of that spindle for uniform, vibrationless and concentric rotation therewith, this rotation being ably assisted by a novel and useful process for constructing a bobbin barrel member to avoid axial run-outcaused by rotation at high speeds about an eccentric axis.

When the handling knob 58 is positioned to the upper flange of a bobbin, such as shown in FIG. 6, the equilibrium of the balanced bobbin barrel 70 might well be affected. Therefore, a further refinement in the present invention is the use of a routing device to establish a chamfer 86 in the central opening 88 of the top flange 60 concentric about the true rotational axis of the spindle finger. The central opening 88 in the flange 60 of the spool is, of course, formed when the flange is made, and it is not necessarily a continuation of channel 71 and is nearly always eccentric slightly about that channel.

As is also desirable on long spools to have the periphery of the top flange 60 of the bobbin concentric about the rotating axis to reduce time used in dynamic balancing, a lathe center of a different shape is employed to make the flange periphery concentric with the rotational axis of the spindle finger. This also results in a reduction of balancing time. Thus handling knob 58 is positioned within a chanrfer in equilibrium with the rotational axis of the spindle finger, and the top flange 60 of the bobbin is finally machined to be concentric about that rotational axis, both features adding significantly to the dynamic balancing process described herein.

I claim:

1 The method of making a concentric bobbin barrel for mounting on a textile spindle to avoid vibration and axial runout on a finishing lathe having spaced-apart holding chucks comprising the steps of: forming a slightly non-linear longitudinal bore in a predetermined length of bobbin barrel stock material; positioning the stock material in the lathe by placing lathe chucks in the bore openings at each end of the barrel stock material; turning the material about a straight line extending between the mid-points of each of the lathe chucks; removing the roughly finished stock material from the lathe; mounting the barrel stock material upon a spindle by inserting the spindle within the barrel bore; grooving a circle in one end thereof concentric about the rotational axis of the spindle inserted within the longitudinal bore to provide a holding recess for a lathe chuck; removing the spindle from the bore; mounting the roughly finished stock material in a lathe; and smoothly finishing within the lathe the bobbin barrel exterior concentrically about the rotational axis of the spindle inserted within the bore of the bobbin barrel to provide a dynamically balanced bobbin barrel for rotation at high rotational speeds of a spindle.

2. The method of making a bobbin barrel as claimed in claim 1, wherein mounting the barrel stock material upon a spindle includes placing spindle-engaging bushings at longitudinally spaced-apart positions within the bobbin barrel bore to maintain the spindle in spaced relation to the bobbin barrel interior upon spindle insertion therein. 

2. The method of making a bobbin barrel as claimed in claim 1, wherein mounting the barrel stock material upon a spindle includes placing spindle-engaging bushings at longitudinally spaced-apart positions within the bobbin barrel bore to maintain the spindle in spaced relation to the bobbin barrel interior upon spindle insertion therein. 